Early Education in America since the Great Recession

Posted by on February 10, 2014

Early Education in America since the Great Recession

Since 2009
An analysis by the New America Foundation gauges indicators since 2009 across the birth-through-eight age span regarding student achievement, family well being, and education funding. It finds that the financial crash from subprime lending has led to subprime learning for too many kids in America. School funding has fluctuated wildly, millions lack access to quality programs, the K-3 grades have received scant attention, dual-language learners are underserved, and achievement gaps in reading and math have widened between family-income levels. Child poverty rates have shot up. In 2009, Congress helped newly sworn-in President Obama make good on a $10-billion pledge, but since then the federal government has barely maintained its baseline investment year after year. The report found progress in home-visiting programs, infrastructure-building, standards, and accountability across states and federal policies, as well as PreK-3rd alignment within a small but growing number of places. Yet with years of reduced state funding, sequestered federal funding, lackluster access to good public pre-K and full-day kindergarten, and neglect of K-3 teacher preparation, the past five years have not favored children who need a strong start in school and life. The report urges lawmakers, policymakers, and philanthropists to become more strategic about policies and investments that address the income gap so as to immerse more children in better learning experiences over the next five years.

http://newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/NewAmerica_SubprimeLearning_Release.pdf